DEEP RIVER— The 158 seniors in the Class of 2013 received their diplomas Thursday in the sixty-second annual commencement ceremony at Valley Regional High School. A large crowd of hundreds of friends and family of the graduates gathered amid picture-perfect sunny skies and comfortable temperatures for the ceremony.
High school principal Kristina Martineau said members of the Class of 2013 had pursued their studies while also serving the Region 4 community of Chester, Deep River, and Essex as mentors for younger students and as emergency responders with the town volunteer fire departments and ambulance service. “Achieving and living this balance, the pursuit of personal success and service to others, is what it means to be a Valley Regional High School Warrior,” she said.
Superintendent of Schools Ruth Levy urged the graduates, which she described as “the next generation of our workforce,” to be open to change and learning new skills, adding “one skill of great importance is to love what you choose to do in your life’s work.”
Honors Essayist Anna D’Agostino of Chester noted a four-year high school career is comprised of 720 days. “Here, over 720 days, we grew from curious freshmen to confident young adults,” she said, adding the school’s faculty had “taught us about ourselves and about living and from them we learned the values of hard work and the rewards that come with diligence.” Salutatorian Christopher Meyers of Essex noted that while Valley Regional High School is a small school, its faculty had provided the class with “a remarkable range of opportunity.”
Valedictorian Rachael Aikens of Essex noted that effort and a willingness to try can be as important as winning and success. “What is important now, especially on this graduation day and every day forward, is that you get back up and keep trying,” she said.
The school recognized two past graduates as the newest members of the Valley Regional High School Hall of Fame. Patricia Widlitz, Class of 1963, is a ten-term Democratic State Representative for her current hometown of Guilford. Scott Wisner, Class of 1984, is a former resident state trooper for Essex who is currently a detective with the Connecticut State Police, Wisner was shot and wounded in the shoulder during an April 8 vehicle crash and shoot out with fleeing robbery suspects on Route 153 in Westbrook.
The Class of 2013
Rachael Caelie Aikens |
Jerry Aksonelam |
Henry Alberto |
Ethan Robert Aresta |
Jenna Caroline Avery |
Gino V. Badalamenti |
Devon Cartier Bakoledis |
David C. Ballantyne |
Kelly Bango |
Christian Joseph Bartolotta |
Marykelly Beaudoin |
Julia Rose Beaulieu |
Alex Elliot Belval |
Lena Agnes Mae Bisaccia |
Will Grayson Bogaert |
Alyssa Bogan |
Ashley Ann Bongiorni |
Molly Jean Bosco |
Sarah Joy Bowen |
Briley Allen Branden |
Olivia Cadley Branden |
Jenna Taylor Brophy |
Hannah Brown |
Michael Edward Bruce Jr. |
Lauren E. Budney |
Megan Lynn Budney |
Luc Townsend Burns |
Sarah Hailey Burzin |
Christian Caceres |
Margaret E. Calamari |
Kaitlin Susan Carini |
Grace B. Carver |
Roger Howard Clapp |
Allyson Eleanor Clark |
Ian S. Colby |
Christopher J. Connor |
Alyssa Anne Cornwall |
Katherine Cullina |
Sean Michael Cunningham |
Anna Katherine D’Agostino |
Rachel Kathryn Daley |
Trevor John Dinwoodie |
Jeremy Matthew Doran |
Aliza Dubé |
Amelia Rose Eppard |
Courtney Ernst |
Britney Elizabeth Evarts |
Megan Elizabeth Farley |
Nicholas Mathew Faulkingham |
Andrew James Ferrucci |
Dylan Christopher Ficke |
Karla Janine Figueroa |
Gabriella Sophie Clara Fishkind |
Emily Antonia Frese |
Alistair Stuart Garden |
Kylie Nicole Gates |
Charles Henry Godwin |
Dylan Matthew Grzybowski |
Sarah Margaret Hammond |
Shelby Lynn Hardgrove |
Sierra Beth Harger |
Halie Michelle Harris |
Mattie Jane Harris |
Aryanah Marie Haydu |
Morgan Emily Hines |
Nicole Elizabeth Hines |
Megan Rachel Anne Hunt |
Anthony M. Hunter |
Danielle Leigh Hunter |
Claire Anna Hurwitt |
Kathryn Nicole Ierna |
Nikole Ann Indermaur |
Russell Kenneth Jacobson |
Jocelyn Jade Jaillet |
Anna Catherine Javor |
Ian Gregory Johnston |
Shane Thomas Joy |
Elsbeth Louise Kane |
Helen Renate Kilby |
Mason J. King |
Samuel Carter Kneeland |
Samuel Jackson Krempel |
Jordan Nichole LaCasse |
Garrett Edward LaMountain Jr. |
Tazer Edward Landow |
Jonathan Tyler LaPlace |
Micaela Rae Leal |
Timothy Alan Leffingwell |
Andrew Wynn Lewis |
Scout Macy Lohrs |
Brandon Nicholas Longo |
Jonathan David Luster |
Christine Ellis Lyons |
David John MacDonald |
Derek Raymond Manierre |
Sean Michael Manierre |
Christopher Thomas Marconi |
Jaclyn Ann Marino |
Brooke A. McConnell |
Sarah Elizabeth McDonald |
Allison Marie McDougall |
Sara Helen McIngvale |
Randy Max Menard |
Scott Michael Miezejeski |
Maya Anne Camera Moen |
Justin Joseph Andreas Morano |
Carlin Patrick Morris |
Christine Marie Morse |
Emily Ellen Mosca |
Clinton Charles Mosher |
Randall Charles Sanford Mudge |
Christopher William Myers II |
Paul Arthur Myers |
Natalie Nelson |
Jacob Thomas Joseph Norton |
Julia Marie Nucolo |
Matthew Lawrence O’Brien |
Nile Kohler Otte |
Seamus Palm-Baker |
Oskar Dakota Partyka |
Kelsey Lauren Pearse |
Kevin Robert Penkala |
Kyle David Peterson |
Christopher Joseph Polo |
Ryan Michael Pomroy |
Amanda Kelsey Preble |
Tatumn Daniele Ramcke |
Taylor Riggio-McGrath |
Mallory Elizabeth Rioux |
Marisa Lynn Romano |
Haley Rosel Samuelson |
Megan Florence Sasena |
Katherine Marie Schroeder |
Erin Cynthia Scionti |
Isaac Joseph Siegel |
Zachariah Taylor Skalandunas |
Elizabeth Smith |
Patrick Andrew Smith |
Norma Lucille Louise Socci |
Sten Philip Spinella |
James Bailey Steele |
Brittany Paige Sullivan |
Daniel Joseph Thayer |
Abigail Wyeth Tibbetts |
Nicolas Marivo Tiezzi |
Curtis A. Turner |
Rebecka Lee Tyrseck |
Nicholas George Van Wyngaarden |
Charlotte Ann Vigue |
Geoffrey Charles Vincelette |
Parker Bevan Wallis |
Robert Cory Welsh |
Timothy R. Westerman |
Hailey Nicole Whitworth |
zackerie Alan Whitworth |
Julia Rochelle Wlochowski |
Cheyenne Mya Wohlstrom |
Joan Langley Wyeth |